Thank you for bringing this up, this actually got me thinking more into it and it DEFINITELY makes sense.
Ascilia being the information COULD be one of the missing keys to the storyline. F'lhaminn tells us that Warburton was returning to Ul'dah (from there) with vital information from Ala Mhigo. Ascilia tells you in the same CS (both in the Echo) that she was born in Ala Mhigo. If Ascilia was brainwashed in a way to where memories have been altered, we could guess that there would be a way to un-alter them. One way of un-altering these memories and drawing out important information could be the use of Thaumaturge skills. So who is a Thaumaturge? Corgeuvais. The man who supposedly had the same mission as Warburton. Warburton was at the Parade to meet Corguevais so they could then act together. This would explain WHY Warburton nor Corguevais went to the powers to be in Ul'dah and gave them valuable information, they didn't have it yet. Corguevais was able to use SEALING MAGIC on a Goobbue to keep it calm, so you could guess that he was adept enough in Thaumaturgy that he MIGHT be able to UNSEAL MAGIC as well or bring out whatever need be that Ascilia may or may not possess in her memories of psychy or what have you. It would explain why Corguevais wanted to take care of Ascilia and help and take care of Warburton's funeral rights. Corguevais may or may not have extracted the memories or the information from Ascilia before becoming desperate when he was exiled. The information may have been so unexpected (and after witnessing Niellefresne's attitude about the war) that he felt that if he told them the truth, they would not believe him, not to mention he learned the truth of Warburton's death. Corguevais may have felt that he owed Ul'dah nothing and decided to take Ascilia, whom he told the truth, with him in his exile.
lol I went a little deep in there but I'm just trying to put a story to it so my brain can work around these missing pieces. Thank you for bringing this up, definitely gives me a whole other side to look into.
Yeah I never understood how pushing his daughter out of the way "killed" him. They show the carnage pretty soon in the CS and it doesn't look like Ascilia pushed a boulder or anything off him. Going through the Goldsmith quests, it's pretty apparent that F'lhaminn loved Niellefresne. If we wanted to go all dark, we could make it that Colbernoux (his brother) hired a man to kill him so F'lhaminn could be his. lol very doubtful but Nielle and F'lhaminn definitely had a thing going. It's kinda odd for the Lala Twins to propose to her considering how "close" everyone actually is, but maybe because Nielle is a noble and F'lhammin is not, they cannot marry.Yeah it is very confusing but Warburton had more than one motive to kill Niellefresne.
1.How Niellefresne rigged the parade to cause an accident that almost cost his daughter's life
2.In consequence his mission is interrupted
3.Maybe they find out about Niellefresne's true intentions with the information he posses
Also i can't stop thinking about F'lhaminn's expression when you walk into the crypt with Tanchred ...is too suspicious like "damn they gonna find out" or "its going as planned" evil grin animators didn't put that in just because..and who is her "loved" one that she sings for ? obviously is not Niellefresne as she doesn't give a damn about him after/during the incident
And after that mission you never hear about them again.
EDIT: Looking at the Ul'dah intro again the story doesn't make sense.. Warburton is admiring the fireworks with Ascillia and seems to have all the time of the world yet he has vital important information for the same people that's walking around him preparing the parade and doesn't tell them?
From then till the Parade happens is unknown how much time passes by and still he hasn't delivered this information and you are witnessing all this supposedly through an Echo. At the end of the intro you see Ascillia crying by Warburton laying on the ground left side of the gobbue its the only time you get to see his shoes and seem quite similar to that of the guy that stabs Niellefresne.
Also if you look at it Corguevais is the only one that takes a direct hit from the gobbue yet he is fine and Warburton dies from a brush? a rock didn't hit him...so something is fishy what are your thoughts?
But I definitely see way you're coming from, watching the CS at the moment and her expression is odd. If F'lhaminn and Warburton were a couple, it would explain why F'lhaminn wants take care of her for a "verrry" long time.
Sadly they're not, they're brown Duckbills or whatever they're called. But if Warburton is the Hooded Man we could assume he merely changed his entire wardrobe. Corguevais' robe changes but his pants and boots stay the same.At the end of the intro you see Ascillia crying by Warburton laying on the ground left side of the gobbue its the only time you get to see his shoes and seem quite similar to that of the guy that stabs Niellefresne.
Edit: I figured out why Niellefresne says "it's not yet wilted" talking about the flower you sell to him. It's because he uses that flower to make the gift for F'lhaminn. AW YEAH. Figured it out.